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Welcome, family and friends! We are so excited to celebrate our big day with you in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This site is your go to for all the details you’ll need. Stay tuned for more details as the big day gets closer!
Welcome, family and friends! We are so excited to celebrate our big day with you in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This site is your go to for all the details you’ll need. Stay tuned for more details as the big day gets closer!
September 12, 2026
Pigeon Forge, TN

Payton & Jake

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Jake Osicki

&

Payton Skender

September 12, 2026

Pigeon Forge, TN
390 days390 d16 hours16 h25 minutes25 min47 seconds47 s

How We Met/Our Story

I never expected that moving from Illinois to Ohio for graduate school would be the start of something so life-changing. I thought it would be a quick chapter, just a stepping stone in my life. But life had bigger plans, and as it turns out, the most unexpected moments are often the most beautiful ones. Jake and I met through mutual friends in the most modern way possible: FaceTime. One night, my friend was chatting with one of Jake's friends, and I caught a glimpse of him on the screen. I remember turning to her and saying, “HOT. DAMN. Who is that?” A few days later, I received a message on Instagram from none other than Jake himself. We started texting a bit, though I’ll admit....I wasn’t really looking for anything serious at the time and may or may not have avoided him just a little (oops). But something kept tugging at me, and after some thought, I said yes to a date. On November 14th, 2021, we went to Mallorca in Cleveland. We shared sangria, told stories, laughed, and by the end of the night, I couldn’t stop smiling. It felt easy. It felt right. Soon after, I went home for Christmas break during my first semester. During that time, Jake casually asked if I wanted to go to Florida with him after Christmas. I didn’t think he was serious. Who invites someone to Florida after just a few weeks?! But oh, he was serious. And in true impulsive, hopelessly romantic fashion... I said yes. I told my dad I had to go back to school to study (sorry, Dad! guess the truth’s out now). And off we went to Treasure Island, Florida, where we spent a magical few days soaking up the sun and learning more about each other. Fast forward a few years, and many adventures & memories later, Jake proposed to me back in Treasure Island, the very place where our story truly began. It wasn’t the exact same spot, but it was the same stretch of sun, sand, and magic that brought us together in the first place. Grad school was hard, not just the academics, but being away from everything and everyone I knew. I felt homesick a lot during those early months. But Jake made it easier without even trying. He became my safe space, my biggest cheerleader, and my calm when everything felt overwhelming. Slowly but surely, he gave me something I didn’t know I needed: a home away from home. Being with him made Ohio feel a little less lonely and a lot more like where I was meant to be. We’re so excited to start this next chapter together, surrounded by the people we love most.

For all the days along the way
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